Books on Tape/CD vs. regular books

United States
January 13, 2007 5:13pm CST
Which do you perfer books on tape/CD or the old fashion hands on books? I just have never been able to get in to books on tape...I am not sure why. I love holding the book and hearing the words in my own head.
2 people like this
29 responses
• United States
14 Jan 07
diffentatlygood old fashined books. books on tape its someone else reading. they might not put the emotion or feeling or characterise the person in the story the way you want to. in books i read characters develope personalities and on occasion voices that i dont consciensly make. i have had books on tape when i travel (get horrible car sickness if read in moving object) but later i read the books and found them so much more enjoyable. ♣
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@BunGirl (2638)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I prefer my books the traditional way -- in book format! I don't really get the whole books on tape thing. Some folks use them for when they're driving, but I wouldn't want to concentrate that hard on whatever's playing on the CD player while I drive! As for when I'm at home, it seems pretty lazy to not be able to pull out a book and just read it. I haven't needed anyone else to read to me since I was four years old! I guess for people with vision problems or people trying to learn a new language they would be good, but that's the only reasons I can think of to need a book on tape.
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@brokentia (10389)
• United States
14 Jan 07
The books I have heard on tape in school are so mono-tone. To the point that it justs makes my head jerk back up like I am a bobble head! And if the person reading the story has expression, for some reason, they sound to cheesy. Like a poorly acted movie that you just want to turn off because you are concentrating more on the bad acting then the story! I like the story playing through my head. I can visualize the story as if it is a movie playing in my own head. Plus, I seem to like the movie playing just for me at my own pace. I just hate it though we someone sees that I am reading a movie and they make me press the pause button. LOL
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@rsmith512 (1561)
• United States
19 Jan 07
Wow! I totally agree. The tapes that I just heard in school recently are all mono-tone. It makes me want to lay back in my seat and just tone it out!! Or, like you said...I am also like a bobble head! And when my teacher tries to read, she is very cheesy and is over dramatic! :D
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
16 Jan 07
I far prefer reading a book, as I do most of my reading last thing at night. I never listen to books on tape or CD, although I'll listen to other things this way, interviews and so on.
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@inked4life (4224)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I am a fan of traditional books and just can't seem to concentrate on the audio variety. My wife, on the other hand, has never been a big reader but she travels a lot for work and has taken to listening to books on CD and loves them.
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@mrstigs (63)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I never really got into books on tape until we started driving truck. Then we found out it was a great way to pass the hours and also to read some authors that I'd never been able to really read before. J.R.R. Tolkien comes to mind. For some reason my brain gets all bogged down when I try to read his works but I can listen to them just fine. Then when I started knitting I found myself going back to audio books because I just didn't have the time to sit with a book and read. My main problem now is the library having audio books I actually want to listen to but that has also proved to be another experience where I have listened to some authors I wouldn't have normally read just because I needed something to listen to.
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@Angelwriter (1954)
• United States
14 Jan 07
Between the two, definitely old fashioned books. Although I have listened and enjoyed books on tape, too. I had a class where we listened to some books -and after I heard them, I got the paper books of the same title. Like others have said, there's something about holding a book and being able to flip to your favorite place in the story easily. And, I love the smell of the paper. Plus, you can take a book practically anywhere. I also found that I tended to drift off and forget where I was when I just listened to the story instead of reading it.
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@magusto (561)
• Portugal
14 Jan 07
it depends. if it was a novel or a romance or just books to study i prefer paper books. but there are encyclopedias and dictionaries and some reference books that we just go and check a little thing and just for a while, and in this cases i think that why we are going to spend loads of money in books when we cand spend a lot less in a cd with them.
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• India
14 Jan 07
I would like to prefer to read Materials which is in the form of Tape/CD. Books in the form of Tape/CD always helps the students to grasp the Topics more clear as compared to read it through Regular books
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• United States
15 Jan 07
Audio Books - a great way to read a book on the run!
I generally prefer to read a book the old fashioned way but I must confess I've sometimes gone with an audio book simply because of need or desire to find out about a story and not having the time to stop and read. I love the audio books when driving on the road. My kids and I used to listen to them often when they were smaller and we'd travel any length. I also used them often when my cancer was bad and I couldn't really concentrate. It was a way for me to escape my world for a little bit and still be able to enjoy the comforts of a book.
@missyd79 (3438)
• United States
14 Jan 07
i work on a computer all day and i usually listen to music in my headphones with my ipod, but ocisionally i will get books on cd's from the local library because i just do not have the time sometime to sit a read a book, so at least i can get some work done and listen to a book at the same time.
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@soul0629 (94)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I only listen to the tapes when i am driving. Other than that i would prefer physical books.
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@Catkin (480)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I generally prefer hands-on books, but my parents have gotten quite into books on CD/tape. They listen to them in the car when they have to drive somewhere, and my mom listens to them when she walks. They're great for road trips, or just long car trips in general. I know exactly what you mean about hearing the words in your own head, though. I once checked out a book on tape that I had already read, just to hear what it was like. It was *terrible*; one of the names was pronounced completely differently than the way I had been saying it all along, and another character had been given a ridiculously squeaky voice. So...they can be good, but they can also be terrible, it's really a gamble.
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@ababee22 (59)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I love regular books. It's quite, peaceful and just all round relaxing for me to read.
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@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I have never tried books on cds or tapes so I would say having the old fashioned books would be easier for me as well. Maybe if I tried books on cds and tapes I may like it but would take some serious adjusting for me. LOL
@00fear (3216)
• United States
14 Jan 07
i also would also like to hold a book and read it but people all over the world recommends me to get a tape recorder to hear because i have trouble understanding words. even with movies, i cant seem to get what they are all about.
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@Bev1986 (1425)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I've only ever listened to one book on tape. Hubby and I went on a vacation together for our 20th wedding anniversary and it was a 10 hour drive. On the way home, we put in a book on tape and listened to the whole thing! It was really a good book and I enjoyed it a lot. Normally though, I enjoy just reading regular books. I read before I go to bed, and I'm afraid I'd fall asleep and miss too much if I listened to a book on tape!
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@sigma77 (5383)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I like to have the actual book most of the time. It is easier to just pick it up and start reading. I have listened to books on tape/CD, mostly while on long trips in the car. I sometimes listen to them at home. You have to pay attention to them or you lose the flow of the story. While I can sit reading a book for long periods, I have difficulty sitting and listening to a tape. There is nothing to occupy my eyes. Reading gives your eyes a place to focus. If I close them, it is to easy to fall asleep. Depending on the book, sometimes the presentation on tape/CD can be riveting. Certain readers have that special ability to read a story out loud and make it seem real.
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@candygurl24 (1880)
• Canada
14 Jan 07
I myself prefer the actual joy of turning each page and reading the real book. Those who enjoy reading but have a hectic lifestyle sometimes tend to catch up on the latest series/book from their favorite author in the car on the way to work, while cooking supper etc. Now, I'm not saying that those who read actual books have too much time...in no way do I believe that. But I am so addicted to reading that I cannot sleep most nights if I don't grab a book and read a few pages.
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@swapnshop (219)
• Canada
14 Jan 07
I would have to agree. I am defiantly not a big fan of books on tape. If I want to listen to something I would listen to music, or the radio. I feel books are for reading and thats how it should stay. Conversley I like the idea of "ebooks" for long train or car rides or while on an airplane, and other places where long periods of reading could be exhausting and straining on the eyes. So all and all I guess I feel both written and verbal books have there place in the world, just different media for different situations.
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